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Author : A. Budayev
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Nicaragua and
concurrently to the Republic of El Salvador and to the Republic of Honduras, Candidate of Science (Political
Science)
AFTER the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) took
power for a second time in 2007 and its leader, Daniel Ortega,
again became president of Nicaragua, Russia's relations with that
country have become closer and, moreover, acquired a new qual-
ity, developing into full-scale strategic partnership. Today,
Nicaragua is Russia's main partner and ally in Central America.
Our countries have built up rich positive experience of mutual
relations. The historic traditions of friendship between them and
the fraternal assistance given by our country to the people of
Nicaragua when the first FSLN government was in office be-
tween 1979 and 1990 are of special significance. It is not only to
ties between their governments that the two nations owe their
close relationship but also to diverse informal personal contacts
between Russians and Nicaraguans. All of this forms a solid basis for soft power policies in
Russian-Nicaraguan relations.
Globally recognized Soviet and Russian scientific, scholarly, cultural, educational, and sporting
achievements have always played a special role in our country's relations with Nicaragua. They
have underlain Russia's soft power policy toward the Central American country and have always
influenced Nicaraguan society, setting examples and guidelines for Nicaraguans to follow.
Russian aid provided free of charge is yet another soft power vehicle. Between 2009 and 2013,
485 medium-sized transit buses manufactured by Russian company KAVZ were handed over to
Nicaragua. In 2010, the Rusia Automotriz company presented the Latin American country with
550 Lada cars. Between 2011 and 2013, Russia supplied Nicaragua with 200,000 tons of wheat.
Cultural affairs, scientific and scholarly research, and education are one more channel for the ex-
ercise of soft power by Russia.
Personal contacts between Russians and Nicaraguans are no less important. Today, not too many
Russians visit Nicaragua as tourists or businesspeople, but their numbers are growing steadily.
By and large, diversified Russian presence in Nicaragua is a significant form of soft power. It
transcends the boundaries of bilateral relations and has serious impacts on Central America as
a whole.
http://interaffairs.ru
Russian Presence in Nicaragua: The Role and Main Characteris-
tics of Soft Power in Russian-Nicaraguan Relations